Anthurium andreanum plant named ‘Anthbneq’

ABSTRACT

A new and distinct cultivar of  Anthurium andreanum  plant named ‘Anthbneq’, as described and illustrated, and particular characterized by the combined features of compact growth and early and rich flowering; mini-type pot plant with large flowers, maximum growth to approximately 40 cm; long and erect peduncle; flowers held just above the foliage; full plant habit due to rich shoot formation and compactness of the plant; dark green leaves, durable and very glossy, with light green primary veins; red and durable flowers, slowly turning brownish-red with age; large amount of flowers in relation to the amount of leaves resulting in good leaf to flower ratio size.

Latin name of the genus and species of the plant claimed: Anthuriumandreanum L.

Variety denomination: Anthbneq.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

‘Anthbneq’ is a new and distinct cultivar of Anthurium, botanicallyknown as Anthurium andreanum L. The new cultivar is a product of aplanned breeding program, and was obtained from a cross made during sucha program in Bleiswijk, The Netherlands, in 1996.

The female or seed parent was a pink-colored Anthurium pot plantidentified as number 95-634-01 (unpatented). The male or pollen parentwas an orange-colored flowering Anthurium pot plant identified as number95-532-02 (proprietary, unpatented). ‘Anthbneq’ was discovered andselected as a flowering plant within the progeny of the stated cross bythe inventor, Jan van Dijk, in March, 1998 in a controlled environmentin a glasshouse in Bleiswijk, The Netherlands.

Subsequent asexual reproduction by tissue culture in Bleiswijk hasdemonstrated that the combination of characteristics as herein disclosedfor the new cultivar are firmly fixed and are retained throughsuccessive generations of asexual reproduction.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

The following traits have been repeatedly observed and in combinationdistinguish ‘Anthbneq’ as a new and distinct cultivar:

1. Compact growth and early and rich flowering;

2. Mini-type pot plant with large flowers, maximum growth toapproximately 40 cm;

3. Long and erect peduncle; flowers held just above the foliage;

4. Full plant habit due to rich shoot formation and compactness of theplant;

5. Dark green leaves, durable and very glossy, with light green primaryveins;

6. Red and durable flowers, slowly turning brownish-red with age;

7. Large amount of flowers in relation to the amount of leaves resultingin good leaf to flower ratio size.

In comparison to the female parental cultivar, 95-634-01, ‘Anthbneq’ haslarger spathes, red in color, whereas the spathes of the female parentare pink. ‘Anthbneq’ has larger, darker leaves than the female parent.

In comparison to the male parental cultivar, 95-523-02, ‘Anthbneq’ hasmore durable, smaller spathes, red in color, whereas the spathes of themale parent are orange. In addition, ‘Anthbneq’ grows more compact thanthe male parent.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

The accompanying photographs, taken in Bleiswijk, The Netherlands, showtypical ‘Anthbneq’ specimens.

FIG. 1 is a side-view of ‘Anthbneq’ showing the flowers held well abovethe leaf canopy.

FIG. 2 is a close-up of a ‘Anthbneq’ flower showing the spathe andspadix with pollen.

FIG. 3 is a close-up of ‘Anthbneq’ flowers at three differentdevelopment stages: from young on the left to old on the right. Theyoungest flower has an unripe spadix (pistils and pollen are not visibleyet). The flower in the middle has a ripe spadix with sime pollen. Thespathe of the old flower on the right becomes darker red. There is adifference in age of approximately 8 to 10 weeks between the flowerdepicted on the left and the flower depicted on the right.

FIG. 4 is a close-up of the top of a young (left) and old leaf blade(right) showing the difference between old and young leaf blades. Itshows that the young leaf blades are more shiny then the old leafblades.

DETAILED BOTANICAL DESCRIPTION

The following observations, measurements and values describe plantsgrown in Bleiswijk, The Netherlands, under greenhouse conditions, whichclosely approximate those generally used in horticultural practice.Color references are made to The Royal Horticultural Society (R.H.S.)Colour Chart, except where general color terms of ordinary significanceare used. The color references are approximate, as color depends to adegree on horticultural practices such as light level and degree offertilization, among others. The color values were determined between11:00 a.m. and 3:00 p.m. on Mar. 25, 2003, under 5000 lux natural lightin a glasshouse in Bleiswijk. The phenotype may vary significantly whengrown under different conditions of temperature, light or otherdetermining factors, without a change in genotype of the plant.

Propagation: Asexual propagation by means of tissue culture and allpropagation that flowered have been true to the original type in plantand flower characteristics.

Plant description: Approximately 55-60 weeks following division,‘Anthbneq’ will reach a mature size of approximately 35 cm to 40 cm inheight and approximately 40 cm to 45 cm in width in a 17 cm container.

Leaves:

Form.—The leaf blade is elliptical-cordate with an acuminate tip and acordate base. The leaf blade angle with the petiole is between 110 and140 degrees. ‘Anthbneq’ makes larger leaf blades as it ages. ‘Anthbneq’also produces some axillary shoots with small leaf blades. Therefore, awide range in leaf blade length and width is found on each plant. Theminimum leaf blade length is approximately 4 cm and the maximum leafblade length is approximately 19 cm. The minimum leaf blade width isapproximately 2 cm and the maximum leaf blade width is approximately 13cm.

Texture.—The leaf blades are very shiny, leatherly and thick. The matureleaf blades are weakly cupped. The young leaf blades are more shiny thenthe old leaf blades.

Veins.—The mid-vein and primary veins (the veins which radiate out fromthe juncture of petiole and leaf) protude at the underside of the leafblade. In older leaf blades (approximately more than 4 weeks), the greencolor of the veins at the upper surface (RHS 146B) and the lower surface(RHS 146D) of the mid-vein and primary veins contrast with the darkergreen color of the surface of the leaf blade.

Leaf blade-color.—Young leaf blade (approximately 3 to 3 weeks old)upper surface is dark green (RHS 147A) and lower surface is brown-grey(RHS 199B). The old leaf blade (approximately more than 4 weeks) uppersurface is green (RHS 139A) and the lower surface is light green (RHS146B).

Lobes.—A leaf blade has two small lobes extending past the petiole. Thedistance from the petiole and leaf juncture to the highest point on thelobes of mature leaf blades (width 8 cm, length 12 cm) rangesapproximately from 3.5 to 4.5 cm.

Petiole.—The color of the petiole of an old leaf blade is green (RHS147B). The petiole color of a young leaf blade is brown-red (RHS 199B).The cross section of a petiole is round and the diameter isapproximately 4 to 5 mm. The color of the cataphyls surrounding thepetioles is brown (RHS 165A) with a brown-red base (RHS 181C).

Spathe:

Buds.—The spathe is tightly rolled around the spadix and extrudes fromthe peduncle sheath. After the spathe is fully open the peduncleelongates for a few more centimeters.

Size.—The completely developed spathe of a 35 cm tall plant isapproximately 10 cm to 12 cm long and approximately 9 cm to 10 cm wide.

Color.—When the spathe is just fully open the upper surface is red (RHS45A) and the lower surface also red (RHS 46C). Approximately 14 to 16weeks after opening, the spathe discolors to dark brown (RHS 200A). Thered color slightly disappears. After approximately another 10 to 16weeks the complete flower will die off.

Arrangement.—The spathe angle with the peduncle is between 90 and 110degrees. The spathe stands on a straight wiry peduncle approximately 2cm to 5 cm above the foliage. The peduncle cross-section is round andthe diameter approximately 4 mm to 5 mm, depending on the age of theplant. The peduncle is erect and its length on the plant depends on theage. It ranges from approximately 15 to 30 cm.

Shape.—The spathe is ovate with a mucronate tip and a cordate base. Ajust fully opened spathe is slightly cup-shaped. The edges of the spathestay upward.

Flowering time: One small untreated tissue culture plant ofapproximately 2 cm tall will flower, depending on season, afterapproximately 15 to 16 months when approximately 2 to 3 blossoms willappear. More blossoms appear some week so that a full flowering andsalable plant can have 6 to 10 red flowers. Smaller blossoms may occuron less mature growth.

Reproductive organs:

Size.—The spadix measures approximately 3 to 5 cm in height. The lengthof the spadix is shorter than the length of the spathe. The spadix is alittle columnar. The width of a mature spadix, that is approximately 5cm long, is approximately 7 mm to 8 mm at the base and approximately 6mm to 7 mm at the top. The spadix angle with spathe is approximately 50to 70 degrees.

Color.—At the time the spathe unrolls the spadix is unripe. Later as thespadix matures, pistils become visible and pollen is produced. An unripespadix is yellow (RHS 13A) and a ripe spadix is white. As the spadixmatures (from base to tip) it becomes fully green. Berries exist on thespadix when pistils have been pollinated.

Stamens.—Anthers and filaments are not clearly visible on the spadix.

Pollen.—Some produced; white in color.

Pistil.—Unripe pistil is yellow (RHS 13A) and a ripe spadix is white.The pistil protrudes from the spadix.

Berries.—Number of berries after pollination ranges from 1 to 200; thesize of the berries grows from 0.1 cm just after pollination to 0.4 cmafter approximately 26 weeks; color is green, RHS 137 B (unripe),changing to brownish-yellow, RHS 169 B to 169 C (ripe); flower diameteris approximately 2 mm with up to 200 flowers existing on a fully grownspadix of 5 cm.

Roots: Pinkish-white roots with smaller hairy laterals. The root-tipsare yellow.

Disease/pest resistance: No known resistance and/or susceptibility todiseases and pests.

I claim:
 1. A new and distinct Anthurium andreanum plant named‘Anthbneq’, as herein described and illustrated.